Process for separating, collecting and storing pieces cut from one or more metal sheets and system implementing said process

Abstract

A process for separating, collecting and storing pieces cut from one or more metal sheets and resulting from at least one cutting step, during which one or more pieces, variously arranged and configured, have been cut on the metal sheet. The present invention concerns also the system implementing this process.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for separating, collecting and storing cut pieces from one or more metal sheets produced with at least one cutting step during which one or more uncut pieces, variously arranged and configured, have been cut from the one or more metal sheets, the process comprising:
 (a) transferring a first metal sheet from an exit plane of a cutting machine onto a stacking plane where the first metal sheet is transferred while still comprising cut pieces and any remaining portion of the sheet forming a skeleton;   (d) storing the theoretical design data related to the first metal sheet, wherein the theoretical design data comprise at least: thickness and dimensions of a theoretical metal sheet, theoretical geometry, thickness and arrangement of the cut pieces and of the skeleton;   (e) scanning the first metal sheet in its entirety and each of the cut pieces and the skeleton. and comparing the stored theoretical design data and data obtained from the scanning and determining whether one or more of the cut pieces are correctly positioned in precise positions from where the one or more of the cut pieces can be collected or whether the one or more of the cut pieces are entirely or partially covered by other pieces and/or by the skeleton;   (f) for each of the correctly positioned pieces or of the pieces collectable without the skeleton or other pieces hindering collection, programming, configuring and handling at least one gripping member, and collecting the correctly positioned and collectable piece, wherein the programming, configuring, and handling takes place according to the stored theoretical design data and to the obtained data processed during determining;   (g) unloading the collected pieces onto one or more unloading areas; and   (h) after the cut pieces meeting step (f) have been collected, if one or more cut pieces remain which are positioned so that the skeleton of the first metal sheet prevents the one or more cut pieces from being collected, removing the skeleton and positioning the skeleton in the one or more unloading areas, and successively repeating steps (f) and (g).   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (b) transferring a second metal sheet from the exit plane of the cutting machine onto the stacking plane, where the second metal is superimposed on the first, previously positioned, metal sheet;   (c) if necessary, repeating step (b) until forming a stack comprising a given number of superimposed metal sheets, each comprising one or more of the respective cut pieces and the respective skeleton; and   (d) storing a positioning sequence of the superimposed metal sheets in the stack and theoretical design data related to each metal sheet;   wherein steps (e), (f), (g), (h) are repeated in sequence for each of the superimposed metal sheets, starting from a top of the stack.   
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the skeleton is cut into two or more pieces before step (a) or (b) to facilitate a removal of the skeleton and/or of the cut pieces. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the scanning is a 2D/3D scanning, or scanning with a sensor/camera system. 
     
     
         5 . A system configured to implement a process according to  claim 1  for separating, collecting and storing one or more pieces cut from one or more metal sheets using a cutting step during which the one or more pieces, variously arranged and configured, have been cut from the one or more metal sheets, the system comprising:
 a stacking plane, on which a stack formed by the one or more of the metal sheets is to be created; 
 a gripping member for gripping and handling at least one piece at a time from the one or more pieces from a metal sheet; and 
 a mechanical system configured to manage a configuration and handling of the gripping member according to preset commands. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the mechanical system comprises a CAS (controlled-axis sorting) system comprising a Cartesian robot with three or more axes or one or more anthropomorphic robots with four or more coordinate axes each. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the stacking plane is an area on a floor, a flatbed, or a pallet having a fixed or movable support. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 5 , further comprising one or more unloading areas where cut and collected pieces can be unloaded which may be of a same order or of a plurality of orders.